Blaze
by Drakai
Summary: Seven years Naruto had lived, alone and seemingly abandoned. But now he knows the truth. With blood of fire and war ignited, he will break the chains binding the one person he'd wanted to meet his entire life. He would take the heads of those that dare hurt her, and he will free her. His mother.
1. Chapter 1

For one Mizuki, recently promoted Chūnin instructor of the Konoha Shinobi Academy, this night promised to be unforgettable. He had just gotten back from a party thrown by some of his 'friends', celebrating his promotion, where he had also managed to hook up with some bitch he had been chasing for a few weeks now.

But there was more. Deciding to take a shortcut from Tsuname's home (or was it Tasumi...) he stumbled upon the Demon Bane of Konoha digging through the garbage, probably looking for something poisonous to feed to an innocent civilian.

Well, he certainly couldn't have that, could he?

He snuck up to the brat, grabbing him from behind and gagging him with a spare piece of cloth he found just lying around. He took one of his kunai and stabbed the brat in the shoulder, disabling his dominant arm, before throwing him on the ground and cackling honorably, completely ignoring the demon's obviously fake tears, accompanied by the sweet terror in his eyes.

So yes, the night promised to be one of the best he'd ever had. Too bad it would also be his last one.

A serrated chain wrapped around his abdomen made sure of that.

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Naruto yelped in fright when the crimson chain wrapped around his assailant. The silver-haired man looked familiar, but Naruto was mostly focused on the dark shadow behind him.

Said shadow walked slowly towards the pair, stepping into the light of a streetlamp, showing her obviously-demonic visage.

The woman, if she could indeed be called that, was taller than the average male ninja, who were already very tall to begin with. She stood at no less than 6' 5'', silver hair flowing behind her two twisted horns. He could see the woman's long, pointed ears, pierced with chains hanging off of them. Her skin was deep red, and her face had blue lines tattooed over it, highlighting her abyssal black eyes. She had on brown and gold leather armor, with a long, flowing red cape tied to her back. The crimson chain led to her right hand, and looked like they appeared out of thin air an inch above it. In her left she was clutching a long, curved black blade.

But it was her eyes that captivated the seven-year-old blonde. When they glared at Mizuki they were full of rage and cold as the darkest abyss. But when they would glance at him, the cold would morph into heat, and the rage into... something Naruto was wholly unfamiliar with.

It was at this point that Mizuki started to mumble and whimper, the chains squeezing him tighter and tighter, but the demonic woman seemed to pay him no mind, tightening the chain with every step forward, driving the curved sword into his chest when she got close enough.

Without breaking her stride, or even uttering a single word, she pulled the sword out and sheathed it on her left hip, the crimson chains shattering into energy shards. She then walked up to Naruto, gently picked him up, and disappeared.

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Naruto cringed and shut his eyes when the strange woman approached him, so he was very surprised when he felt himself picked up in a gentle embrace. Opening his eyes, he saw the spiky top the Fourth Hokage's head. He could feel the woman sit down, overlooking the village, and facing the full moon. She still wouldn't let go.

He turned around in her lap, looking at the woman closely. Her black eyes were looking intently at him, that same unknown look in them. Only this time they were also moist. A droplet fell down the woman's face and hit his arm, sizzling when it came into contact with cloth.

"Naruto." She smiled, nuzzling the top of his head with her cheek. "My beloved little Naruto." Her voice was smooth and calming. It was almost like he'd always dreamed. Like his…

"Mommy?" The boy asked, looking hopefully at the woman, who just tightened her hold and kissed him on the top of the head.

"I'm sorry, baby. Mommy's so sorry she had to leave you." She choked out.

"Why did you? Where did you go, mommy?"

"I didn't want to, honey. But they took me away and locked me up."

"Who did?"

"My enemies. You have to listen to me closely, baby, I don't have much time." Naruto nodded and focused all his seven-year-old attention on his mother (he repeated that to himself giddily a few times). "My name is Kushina, firstborn daughter of the Demon King, and first in line for the throne. Twenty years ago father sent me to the human real to get some practical experience. Since humans are so fond of last names…" Naruto chuckled. "I took up the name Uzumaki and made my way on. Long story short I met your father, a remarkable human, and fell in love."

"On the day that you were born the Kyūbi, a contender for the throne, attacked me, hoping to kill me and you in my weakened state. Too bad for him even weakened I was still stronger." Naruto looked up at his mother in wonder. Stronger… than the Kyūbi? "Yes." She chuckled. "But I underestimated his willingness to work with his fellow contenders. While I battled him five others managed to take me to the demon realm and seal me up, leaving your father to defeat the Kyūbi."

"But you're ok now, right? I mean, you're here."

"No honey." She let loose a few more tears. "I only managed to manifest for a short time outside the seal. My physical body is still there. A mother's love is a very powerful thing." Her form started shimmering. "I don't have a lot of time left. Honey, your grandfather doesn't know where I am, so you'll have to be the one to tell him. But not yet. Not for a few years more. Not until you train with your powers." She kissed him on the forehead. "You are a demon of fire and war. You'll be stronger than me one day. I believe in that." Most of her body was now gone. "I love you, my son. I've waited for years to say that, and I'll wait for decades to say it again. I love you." Disappearing completely, she had that same look in her eyes again. But Naruto understood it now. It was love, stronger than he'd ever seen. For him

He sat there for a moment, before standing up, looking at the moon, which was now bathed in flaming red. He lifted his right arm. His hair slowly started to darken from blonde into a deep blood red, and his form lengthened, but he didn't notice. He just stood there, grasping the fiery moon, while his blood of flame and war awoke, igniting his entire being.

"I'll save you mom." His eyes started to glow in a fiery light. "I promise." He turned his back and walked, his leathery wings fluttering behind him. Away from the village. Away from his humanity. Towards the power he needed. Towards rescuing his mother.

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In a dark, bare room, in the middle of a seal array, tied up completely with crimson chains, a silver-haired form lifted her head. She looked at the shadow that just walked inside with a strange twinkle in her eyes.

"And what are you so happy about, bitch?" The shadow asked, a little weary.

"Count your days well, _old friend_. They are severely numbered." She grinned, a giggle escaping from her lips.

The shadow said nothing, but turned and walked away from the now-laughing woman. It couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the days to come.


	2. Chapter 2

Almost ten years had passed since Naruto disappeared from Konoha, and Sarutobi, the (again) reigning Hokage had to admit that it was a lot more peaceful than he'd expect.

They found the body of Mizuki, along with traces of blood that matched Naruto. Putting two and two together, they assumed Naruto killed the man and then fled, fearing punishment. Sarutobi was sure that the boy would get away with claiming self-defense, but they couldn't find hide nor hair of the child.

They had sent search parties, of course. The boy was the child of their former Hokage, as well as the only deterrent against other village's Jinchūriki, being one himself. The latter fact, even more so than the former, made him invaluable, and even the Civilian Council had to admit to that.

S they had kept the disappearance of their Jinchūriki as quiet as they could from the other nations, and especially from the boy's own godparents, Jiraiya and Tsunade, the only remaining loyal Sannin.

Which was why Sarutobi was now sweating a little under the glare of his old student.

"What the hell do you mean gone?" Jiraiya's voice was oddly calm, which honestly worried the old Hokage more than if he were to yell.

"Just as I said, gone. Ran away. Turned his back on his home." The only hope Sarutobi now had was to spin the story and hope Jiraiya, or heaven forbid Tsunade, never find out the truth.

"And why, _exactly_, would he do that? Hm, _sensei_?" Unfortunately the Toad Sage wasn't buying it.

"It's obvious the boy didn't hold any loyalty to the village, even after everything we've done for him."

"By everything you of course mean beatings, keeping his family secret from him, and constantly refusing my requests to take him along on my travels. Yes?" Well shit.

"You know very well I couldn't allow him to leave the village. His father had too many enemies in the outside world to allow his only son to walk around freely."

"Bullshit, _sensei_." Jiraiya cut him off. "I allowed you to go on, hoping you'd come to your senses. But it was obviously a mistake to allow you a second term after Minato died."

"Watch it Jiraiya. You're getting dangerously close to treason."

"I don't care. The only reason I sent this clone here is to inform you to keep Danzo from sending any more of his Root Anbu. Naruto's patience is wearing thin."

"You know where he is?"

"Of course I do. I'm his godfather, and the greatest spymaster still alive. I found him years ago. And we told Tsunade." The Hokage's face froze for a moment, before he schooled his expression. Jiraiya grinned.

"She must, of course, see that what I did, I did for the village her grandfather built."

"You know that family has been more important than anything for her. It took me two weeks to stop her from coming here and killing you."

"So all three of my students betrayed me?" Sarutobi sighed, glaring at Jiraiya.

"Don't you dare compare me to him. You betrayed your own teachings the moment you let an innocent child suffer. And for what? To appease the Civilian Council? The Council that exists only because you're getting too old to be a proper Hokage?" Jiraiya took two metal plates engraved with the leaf symbol. "My original headband, and Tsunade's. We've been loyal ninja of Konoha for almost fifty years now. And we quit." The clone burst into smoke.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at the two plates for a few moments before throwing them angrily at the wall opposite his table. He had only one thought on his mind.

_They will pay for dishonoring me._

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In Tanzaku, the second largest city in Fire Country, in the onsen of one of the most expensive hotels, Jiraiya grinned in satisfaction when he got his clone's memories. He then promptly got back to the small hole he made in the divider between the male and female side, hoping to catch a hotty all exposed.

Too bad for him it was mixed bathing day, so everyone was in the other onsen.

Naruto groaned when he felt the hot water on his muscles. Granted, it felt too cold to him to call it a hotsprings, but it was the principle that counted.

He would admit to enjoying spending time with his human godparents, but they could get rather difficult. He and Shizune, his godmother's apprentice, deserved a break. That was why they got his godmother drunk, hadn't told his godfather it was mixed bathing day, and took the day to themselves. The last he heard of her she was going to some bar. He had a feeling she was a lesbian.

The sixteen-year-old sighed again, massaging his sore shoulder muscles. Ten years had passed since he met his mother for the first time, and he spent almost every waking hour training and practicing. And it showed, even in his fully human form.

He had grown to almost his godfather's height, and his hair had also grown as long, colored in a deep crimson. His entire body was now lean and muscular, like something he'd expect from a professional martial artist these human civilians were so fond of. His demon form, of course, was something else entirely.

In it he stood at almost eight foot tall, and at least twice as wide as Jiraiya. His hair would disappear, ad he would get five sets of horns. One set pointing down from his cheeks, one larger pointing up, and a single horn in-between the two larger ones. His eyes would light up in fiery red, and large, leathery wings would burst from his back. A carapace-like material would grow over his chest, shoulders and upper arms. A large golden plate would appear over his abdomen, covering only it and his sides and lower back. In the front of it were two thin swords crossed, his personal symbol, and chains hung from it, all the way to his shins, in memory of his mother. Tattered red cloths hung from the large armor plate, down to his knees and all around his body, and a single demonic skull was on one side, with four more places reserved. Completing his terrifying image were large, sharp teeth in his maw, and glowing, fiery veins running all over his arms and legs.

When he first transformed, Naruto was sad to see he looked nothing like his mother's own demonic form. His only solace was the long red hair, which he took care of zealously.

Jiraiya once tried to dye it blonde. He woke up three days later with most of his body in a cast.

Lost in thought, he almost failed to register a presence walking into the onsen.

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Samui was not having a good day.

The Kumo Chūnin kunoichi was put in charge of her very first team, consisting of her old Genin teammates Karui and Omoi, and the village's worst kept secret, the Nībi Jinchūriki, Yugito Nī.

Now the mission was simple enough. It was only recon to the village of Konoha, to confirm the rumors about their own Jinchūriki disappearing, but between Omoi's complaining, Karui's violent temper, and looking over their shoulders every five minutes to make sure nobody figured out Yugito's identity, it was an increasing hassle. Add to that her ever-present back aches, and she was grumpy most of the day.

So she jumped at the opportunity to relax at an onsen on one of their stops. Karui was confined to her bedroom, Yugito was told to stay mostly indoors, and Omoi was told to shut up. The fact that it was mixed bathing day did nothing to deter her.

She was surprised to find only one rather tall redhead inside it, though.

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"Hello there." Naruto opened one eye to look over the, admittedly very beautiful, woman that had just entered, before closing it again.

"Hello." She muttered back, sinking into the water with a satisfied sigh. She rubbed the back of her shoulders for a moment.

"Back pains?"

"I always have them. It's because my... Why am I talking to you about this?" She glanced suspiciously at him.

"Who knows? Maybe I manipulated your brain into trusting me easily. Maybe I cast a spell on you." She watched him for a few moments, before letting a few giggles loose.

"Not cool."

"I'm rarely cool." He grinned. "Mostly I'm on fire." He chuckled at the rather poor joke. "Do you want me to give you a backrub?" Startled by the offer, she glared at him for a few moments.

"No funny business."

"On my honor." She relented, the prospect of alleviating her pain winning over her inherent doubtfulness as a kunoichi.

It was heaven. His touch was so warm against her skin, and it did wonders to alleviate the ache in her muscles, even more so than the hot waters of the onsen. In fact, she almost looked like she was dead to the world.

"Watch it buddy." Almost.

"Sorry." Naruto chuckled. "But I am a being of lust, and there is plenty to be lustful about." He ran his fingers on her sides, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Some kind of succubus demon?" She asked half-jokingly.

"The technical term is 'incubus'; but no, I meant a man. But while we're on the subject." The surrounding temperature got hotter, and his hands got bigger and rougher. _**"A demon I am."**_ She let out a moan when he raked her clawed hands over her back. _**"Let me show you."**_

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There was an eerie quiet about the hotel, accompanied by the odd tremor that shook every person in the waiting room, consisting of a newly-awake and still quite hung-over Tsunade, a disappointed Jiraiya and somewhat cranky Shizune at one side, and a weary Yugito, worried Omoi and angry Karui at the other.

"So where's the brat?" Tsunade asked her assistant.

"Onsen. Relaxing."

"What's the matter with you?" All that got her was a quick glare. "Well, anyhow, let's go get him, we've stayed here enough as it is."

"Can't." Jiraiya sighed sadly. "He locked the onsen with some of his voodoo. I tried already."

"Is that why you're all depressed?" Tsunade glared at him. "Because you couldn't get into the mixed bathing part."

"Of course I am." The group completely ignored the three Kumo ninja, which was a good thing, because Jiraiya had broken down in tears by that point. "It's just not fair. I saw a beautiful, busty girl walk in, and I can't even scan her properly because my apprentice won't let me in. She actually reminded me a little of you."

"And what _exactly _is that supposed to mean?" If Jiraiya were a sensible man, he would've taken the Senju's icy tone as warning.

"Well, she was blonde and had huge boobs." But in his rather long life as a ninja no one had ever accused Jiraiya of being sensible. "Oh I so wanted to suckle on those-" A fist to the face stopped him from finishing the sentence.

However, his comments were loud enough to catch the attention of the Kumo ninja, causing them to walk over to the formerly-Konoha group.

"Oy, did that pervert just mention a blonde with huge jugs?" Karui asked, walking up to Tsunade. "Other than you?"

"Yes, he did." The girl in front of her was asking for a good beating. "Try the hotsprings. And leave us alone."

Whatever response the volatile redhead was about to give was cut off by the door to the onsen sliding open, showing a mostly-dressed Naruto carrying a blissfully unconscious Samui covered in a towel.

"Is all this commotion really necessary?" He raised an eyebrow at the steaming Kumo kunoichi that appeared in front of him in a flash, glaring daggers at him. "Can I help you?"


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto sat at a table in the inn, sipping on a saucer of chilled sake. To his left were Tsunade, who was nursing her second bottle, and Shizune, with another saucer. On his right sat Jiraiya, with a proud grin on his face. In front of him were the Kumo team, Omoi, Karui and Yugito, each with their own bottle of the alcohol. Behind him, on a small bed, Samui lay, still blissfully unconscious.

Naruto took another sip, an amused expression on his face, ignoring the glaring dark-skinned kunoichi.

"So?"

"So what?" Her glare intensified.

"Aren't you gonna say something?"

"You're welcome?" He shrugged.

"What! Why you little…" She jumped from her space, fully intending to throttle the red-haired man in front of her.

"Karui." The white-haired man pulled her back into the chair. "Don't do that. What if he's more powerful than us? He'll kill us, and then the Raikage will hunt him down. And then his friends will want revenge, and we'll cause another war."

"Do I have friends?" Naruto whispered to Jiraiya, who just shrugged.

"And if that doesn't happen Samui will wake up and get angry that you hit her boy toy and she'll…"

"Boy toy?" Naruto was no longer amused.

Before he could do anything drastic Yugito grabbed her teammates' head and clonked them together, silencing the two.

"I'm sorry about them, they're incorrigible." Naruto huffed, earning a grin from the blonde. "So, I'm Yugito, these two are Karui and Omoi, and the woman you apparently fucked into unconsciousness is Samui." The other blonde moaned and stirred, but remained asleep. "What's your name?"

"I am Naruto, and I believe you know Jiraiya and Tsunade of the Sannin?" The three nodded. "And the black-haired woman at the end is Shizune, Tsunade's apprentice." She waved at the three Gennin and returned back to her saucer.

"Nice to meet you all." The blonde licked her lips. "So, is there any chance of you and me going to a private room?"

"Yugito!"

"Come to think of it Karui could use some as well." The red-head smacked her teammate on the back of the head.

"Mine." Samui's calm voice came from behind Naruto, her arms encircling him possessively, nuzzling her cheek against his.

"Aw… C'mon, don't be like that. Share." Naruto sweat dropped when Samui took out a squirt bottle and sprayed Yugito in the face, earning a hiss from the other blonde.

"You need to cool down, kitty."

"Don't tell him that, dammit."

"Tell me what?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "That you're the Nibi Jinchūriki?" The three Gennin in front of him stared at him in a mixture of surprise and worry. Omoi even spat out the sake he'd just taken a gulp of.

"How… What…?"

"Yeah, figured as much." Jiraiya shrugged.

"No you did not." Tsunade fired back at him with a grin on her face.

"Aw, Tsunade, don't be like that."

"Children." Naruto sighed. "You don't seem too surprised." He commented to Samui, whose head was still resting on his shoulder.

"It's cool; I thought you'd sense it."

"Hm… I like you." He kissed the side of her head. "I think I'll keep you."

"Oi, you can't do that!" Karui yelled at him, getting over her shock temporarily.

"Oh?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"You can't just claim another human being like that, especially since you met her today."

"Why?" Karui wasn't completely sure, but she could swear Naruto looked genuinely puzzled.

"It's one of those 'human things'." Jiraiya commented with an amused grin on his face. "You know, one of those things you couldn't quite get."

"Ah. Of course, how silly of me."

"You make it sound like he's not human." Omoi said wearily.

"I'm not."

"He's only half not."

"Shut up Jiraiya." The man just grinned at his godson.

"Anyway, being _not fully human_." He glared at the perverted man. "I say I can."

"But you can't go with him." Apparently recognizing a worthless cause, the three Gennin turned to Samui. "What about our mission."

"What mission?" Naruto raised an eyebrow at his blonde… girlfriend.

"We were sent to Konoha to see if he rumors about their Jinchūriki leaving are true."

"Oh is that all. Well, that's easy. They are." Jiraiya shrugged.

"And how would you know, pervert?"

"No respect. I swear."

"Because the Jinchūriki was me." Naruto deadpanned, ignoring the wallowing Jiraiya.

"_Was_?" Yugito gasped. "Why, did you kill it or something?"

"Yes." Naruto answered simply. "Why, do you want me to kill yours?" Before Yugito could respond her eyes widened and she froze in her seat.

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Yugito's Mindscape

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"Huh?" Yugito appeared in a purple void with what looked like a complex cat house nearby. A cathouse behind which Nibi was currently cowering.

"_**Don't let him kill me, kitten, please."**_

"What? Where am I?"

"Your mind." Before her eyes Naruto started to grow and change into his demonic form, scaring her witless.

"Wha…?"

"_**Your vocabulary needs work."**_ Naruto deadpanned, turning to the giant cat. _**"Just say the word and she's gone."**_

"Why are you doing this?"

"_**Well, I'm not entirely sure, but you are Samui's friend, so I suppose I'm trying to be… nice? Or whatever the human term is."**_

"Well I don't want her to go." Nibi let out a sigh in relief.

"_**You don't?" **_Naruto blinked.

"Yeah, she's not that bad. I like her."

"_**Thank you kitten."**_

"_**Huh. I'll admit, that I did not expect."**_

"Why, what was the Kyūbi like?"

"_**The Kyūbi? Well, he was…"**_

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_Flashback_

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"_**I will devour your soul!"**_

"_**Step closer child and I shall end your pitiful existence!"**_

"_**Stop sniveling and face your ending with dignity!"**_

"_**Let me out and I'll be nice. I'll only eat you. It'll be quick, I promise."**_

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_Flashback End_

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"_**Yes, I can see how he might have colored my prejudice against the Bijū. But you say yours is… not that bad?"**_ Yugito nodded. Naruto just shrugged and turned to the blue demon. _**"You can step closer now, cat, I'll not harm you."**_ The Bijū glanced wearily at him but stepped closer, next to Yugito. She nuzzled the girl's cheek happily.

"_**You're great kitten." **_She purred, before turning to Naruto. _**"And who are you?"**_

"_**I am Naruto, son of Kushina."**_ Nibi gasped, but Yugito just looked at him strangely.

"Shouldn't you say your father's name?"

"_**Perhaps, but, while my father was a great man, he was ultimately human, and now dead. Thus, not as important as my mother." **_Yugito nodded. She could understand that. _**"Now, shall we go back?"**_

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Outside

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To the humans assembled around the demon and the Jinchūriki, it seemed as though only a few seconds had passed when Yugito snapped back to attention and relaxed in her seat.

"So…" Karui started, not sure how to continue. "Is the Nibi dead?"

"No, he spared her." Yugito's eyes unfocused. "She says her name is 'Matatabi' and that she's honored to have met you. Why is she telling me to bow?"

"She probably wants to stay on the good side of the future King of Demons." The four Kumo ninja looked at him wide-eyed. "My grandfather is the current King." He turned to Jiraiya. "Should I have mentioned this sooner?"

"Yeah, probably." The pervert shrugged, getting nods from Tsunade and Shizune.

"Ah. I can never remember human etiquette."


End file.
